Focus: Broadcasting

[Satellite Today 06-12-09] BSkyB will launch Sky News HD in the United Kingdom early next year, the satellite pay-TV operator confirmed June 11.     BSkyB will upgrade studios, production facilities and newsgathering operations in the United Kingdom and overseas for the launch of Sky News HD in spring 2010.     Sky News’ production teams will...

[Satellite Today 06-12-09]  TeamCast will partner with the BBC on a new DVB-T2 modulator for professional applications, TeamCast announced June 10.      Under the collaboration agreement, TeamCast is licensed to use BBC’s embedded demodulator software as the functional core of the overall product firmware developed by TeamCast.     “Using BBC’s firmware as a starting point...

[Satellite News 06-11-09] On the heels of an agreement with Microsoft, BSkyB will look for further deals to bring its Sky Player to the TV, Griff Parry, BSkyB’s director of video-on-demand told Satellite News     “We are always interested in exploring the opportunities presented by platforms that can support a quality Sky product securely. Where...

[Satellite Today 06-11-09] International Launch Services (ILS) recevied a contract for two new firm launches and one optional launch for Intelsat, the launch provider announced June 10.     Contract terms and mission assignments were not disclosed.     “Selecting ILS Proton for additional launches was a logical extension for our business needs,” Ken Lee, Intelsat’s senior...

[Satellite Today 06-11-09] Marlink has acquired capacity on Telesat’s Telstar 11N satellite, Marlink announced June 9.     The satellite, carried 39 Ku-band transponders to support a range of video and data applications in North America, Europe and Africa and across the Atlantic Ocean. Marlink will use the capacity to strengthen the quality of its WaveCall...

[Satellite Today 06-11-09] Triveni Digital named Magna Systems & Engineering an new international dealer for Triveni’s products throughout the Asia-Pacific region, Triveni said June 10.     Magna, based in Australia, specializes in providing products and integrated solutions to the media and television industry. The company has offices in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia and Hong...

[Satellite News 06-10-09] AsiaSat could launch a direct-to-home (DTH) service in Taiwan with a high-definition (HD) offering as early as the 2009 third quarter, CEO Peter Jackson confirmed to Satellite News.     Jackson was discussing a plan unveiled by AsiaSat and EchoStar June 3 to form a joint venture and deliver DTH services across Asia....

[Satellite Today 06-10-09] EchoStar Satellite Services signed agreement to deliver its ViP-TV video transport service to KPU Telecommunications, a provider of telecommunications and video services to a city of approximately 14,000 residents in Ketchikan, Alaska, under EchoStar’s IP-Prime Conversion Program, the company announced June 9.      KPU will receive transport of up to 42 high-definition...

[Satellite Today 06-10-09] Integral Systems signed a deal with Orbital Sciences Corp. to primary and backup satellite command and control systems for Koreasat-6, Integral Systems announced June 8.     Integral Systems will provide an integrated solution leveraging its Epoch IPS as well as the Compass software products of subsidiary Newpoint Technologies. Epoch IPS is used...

[Satellite Today 06-10-09] TerreStar Networks Inc. has pushed the launch of the TerreStar-1 satellite from late June into early July to perform further testing of the S-band payload, the company announced June 8.     The launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket has been scheduled for June 24, but TerreStar requested “additional time to ensure that...